Quantum News Briefs June 19: The first advanced quantum processing unit delivered by Pasqal to GENCI and CEA • D-Wave commissioned survey reveals high ROI expectations for quantum computing • “Pritzker taps IBM, Discover in bid for Federal quantum funds” • “DARPA receives $1 Million to create quantum laser using quantum entanglement”
News Briefs:
The first advanced quantum processing unit delivered by Pasqal to GENCI and CEA
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A pioneering 100+ qubit quantum processing unit (QPU), acquired by GENCI (Grand Équipement National de Calcul Intensif), was delivered at TGCC, the CEA computing centre, announce the three partners as per the June 19 news release.
D-Wave commissioned survey reveals high ROI expectations for quantum computing
D-Wave Quantum Inc. announced on June 18 the results of a new study that reveals a majority of surveyed businesses actively using quantum computing foresee an exceptional return on investment (ROI) from their quantum optimization efforts — with an expected combined potential positive financial impact to reach up to an estimated $51.5 billion.
These findings are detailed in a new D-Wave-commissioned report conducted by high-performance computing analyst group Hyperion Research in May and June 2024. The firm polled over 300 commercial quantum computing enterprise decision makers across the United States and select European Union countries that are exploring quantum optimization of key business processes within the next 12 to 18 months.
Out of the 300 users polled, 290 reported that they each expected to make a long-term annual commitment of $3 to $6 million toward quantum optimization initiatives — with anticipated estimated benefits of $60 to $65 million each— resulting in an impressive ROI of 10 to 20 times the initial investment.
In Other News:
In Other News: Bloomberg reported that “Pritzker taps IBM, Discover in bid for Federal quantum funds”
llinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has turned to a consortium that includes International Business Machines Corp. and Discover Financial Services to help win federal funds to develop quantum technology according to June 18 article by Isis Almeida in Bloomberg.
The companies will work together with Boston Consulting Group and P33, a nonprofit started by the governor’s sister and former Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, to develop quantum tools to fight financial fraud. The plan is part of a bid to win $70 million from President Joe Biden’s Tech Hubs program as part of the 2022 Chips and Science Act.
Winning the federal money is key to helping fund Quantum Shield, the fraud-detection project that’s part of Illinois Tech Hubs bid, said Brad Henderson, chief executive officer of P33. The effort is unique because it seeks to use quantum technology, instead of binary traditional computers, to solve a real-world problem.
In Other News: BGR reports “DARPA receives $1 Million to create quantum laser using quantum entanglement”
Researchers working with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have been awarded a $1 million grant to create a prototype quantum laser unlike any ever seen according to Joshua Hawkins in June 17 BGR. The laser will use quantum entanglement to essentially “glue” light particles together, the researchers explain, allowing them to create a more highly concentrated laser.
Typically, lasers work by stimulating electrons in various atoms to oscillate in the same pattern. When this happens, the electrons move to a low-energy state and release coherent light, which has a uniform wavelength and phase. That is then bounced between mirrors inside the device to create the concentrated laser beam. A quantum laser, though, would essentially pull the light particles together instead, entangling them completely.
The laser is expected to play an important role in future military operations, including satellite communications, mapping and tracking systems like lidar, as well as for targeting technologies in other military tech.
